Simon Coates's Page

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Stage One have launched Bridge the Gap, a new initiative developed specifically for people currently under-represented within the producing community.Over the course of a year, Bridge the Gap will offer training and opportunities to 10 participants to support and guide them. This will be an opportunity for Stage One to build a long term relationship with a range of producers throughout their careers.Joseph Smith, Chief Executive of Stage One, said:“Change needs to happen across our whole…See More

Stage One have launched Bridge the Gap, a new initiative developed specifically for people currently under-represented within the producing community.Over the course of a year, Bridge the Gap will offer training and opportunities to 10 participants to support and guide them. This will be an opportunity for Stage One to build a long term relationship with a range of producers throughout their careers.Joseph Smith, Chief Executive of Stage One, said:“Change needs to happen across our whole…See More

Open to all choreographers, composers, musicians and movers.‘Attuning to collaboration’Groundwork are thrilled to announce we were successful in gaining support from Tŷ Cerdd to run a 2-day workshop led by composer Jamie McCarthy and choreographer Joanna Young, bringing together choreographers, composers, musicians and movers.This professional development event will bring practitioners of these art forms together, offering a valuable opportunity for artistic exchange and collaboration.The…See More

Edinburgh Fringe Society and Creu Cymru will be holding a FREE information session for Wales-based artists and presenters about bringing work to, and the opportunities around, the Edinburgh Fringe. As well as for the generally curious this session will be of particular interest for presenters in co-producing relationships, artists, companies and producers who are thinking of taking work to Edinburgh in August 2019. This event will be held on Friday 27 April at The Other Room in Cardiff,…See More

Groundwork Pro have an upcoming series of three discussion events open to all. We'd love to have your voice there if you are around and we're also hoping you could share the info:Representation of the People: Act100yrs since women first achieved the right to vote and equal suffrage was achieved for men: Where are we now?This series of discussions/events will celebrate, continue conversations around gender equality and examine action in our art form. We've invited three fabulous women to share…See More

Since starting at NTW, back in 2013, I've been talking to artists about the ways they want to make new work. Of course, there were differences in opinion about the mechanisms but there have been really clear themes coming through. People wanted to be able to experiment, and try new things with the support of a company to…See More

"ACW has commissioned a report from Theatre Bristol into the producing ecology in Wales.
They are inviting feedback by 5th Jan.
You can download the report and respond here: http://www.arts.wales/137698"

Profile Information

What I do:

Head of Creative Development at National Theatre Wales

A little more about me:

I'm a producer, supporting artists to make/discover/present new pieces of performance for audience in Wales. As Head of Creative Development at National Theatre Wales, I'm responsible for overseeing the development of artists and new ideas. Feel free to ask me about what I do in more detail...

I was previously working at Wales Millennium Centre as an Associate Producer where I was responsible for the Incubator Project, the Centre's Creative Development project. Also programming in the Weston Studio and running a lot of the Centre's community projects. Immediately before that I was Assistant Director in a small rural receiving house in deep dark Wiltshire.

My background is in devised theatre and choreographic practices; I trained at Dartington College of Arts and went on to produce a number of performances merging theatre, dance and various written and found texts (I should probably make it clear that I am definitely not a dancer, or writer!)

Location:

Wales

Projects I’m working on:

I'm working on loads of WalesLab projects - you can find out more about them by looking on the WalesLab Group

Please get in touch if you are making performance, thinking about it or know someone who is..
Im very nosey.

Simon Coates's Blog

Stage One have launched Bridge the Gap, a new initiative developed specifically for people currently under-represented within the producing community.

Over the course of a year, Bridge the Gap will offer training and opportunities to 10 participants to support and guide them. This will be an opportunity for Stage One to build a long term relationship with a range of producers throughout their careers.

Groundwork are thrilled to announce we were successful in gaining support from Tŷ Cerdd to run a 2-day workshop led by composer Jamie McCarthy and choreographer Joanna Young, bringing together choreographers, composers, musicians and movers.

This professional development event will bring practitioners of these art forms…

Comment Wall (54 comments)

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Hi Simon. I’ve recently joined the network and as per the instructions on the website was getting in touch to let you know I’m here. I’ve uploaded a couple of short plays to my profile as writing samples, but the script I’d really like to share with you is a recently completed full length period piece about the infamous political advisor and mystic Grigori Rasputin during the last days of Imperial Russia. I know the guidance is to send just twenty pages, so I’m happy to cut out the opening section and send it to ideas@nationaltheatrewales.org. Alternatively, I could send the full piece just in case you felt compelled to read past the twenty page point. I was just wondering what you’d prefer? Thanks for your time, Lawrence.

My name is Trudi-Rose, I've just joined the community and Writers group, really excited to have joined! I've been writing for several years; novels, plays even a screenplay I've been working on, however only recently have I been able to devote more time to my writing now that I've finished university. I'm going to send some of my most recent work (a play) to the ideas email address so hopefully you'll get a chance to have a look at that some time soon.

Really excited to be here and looking forward to getting involved in the community

I have just added my event at the WMC and would like to offer yourself or another Creative Associate 2 complimentary tickets. I would be interested to hear what NTW thinks of our work: Ultra-Violet Circus/Puppet/Dance/Illusion

Below is a description:

Hummadruz, The Black Light Theatre of Wales presents the Ultimate Psychedelic Trip: Gustav Holst's "The Planets".
Hummadruz looks to the heavens and presents a multi-coloured voyage through the Cosmos in a Space Fantasia.

Gustav Holst’s astrological take on The Planets has inspired seven stories that will transport you to an Underwater Kingdom, the Elastic Rainbow Planet, the Dawn of Time and the outer reaches of our Solar System.
Hummadruz are The Black Light Theatre of Wales and we use our unique style of performance to animate the musical score: Ultra-Violet Circus, Dance, Puppetry and Illusion.

The company, who have previously taken on pieces from the likes of Rick Wakeman, Led Zeppelin and Eat Static ar...e bringing life to the classical suite based on the astrological forces of the planets above. The show toured nationally throughout Wales in 2014 but has now been radically reworked to be staged at the Wales Millennium Centre.
Hummadruz will make you smile, gasp and cry at their interpretations of each of Holst’s original themes, from Mars’ The Bringer of War to Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity.

“Make sure you make time to go see this incredible combination of classical and modern performance.” Buzz Magazine 2014.

Featuring the recording of Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker Orchestra.

Hi, it's Geraint Cardy. I am an actor/writer recently moved back to Cardiff from London.

I met John Mcgrath at a reading recently and he was going to come to a one man piece I am currently working on called OUT OF SOUNDS. He unfortunately then said he couldn't make it but was going to send someone else along. (In the end I had to cancel the piece for personal reasons, but that's besides the point as regards this email). In my emails with John I asked, as I am new to the area, if it would be possible to meet someone for five/ten minutes to get a feel of how the NTW worked and also the scene in Wales, eg. some advice of where might be best for my piece and what avenues to chase. One thing I thought of, is that I have been told that the NTW does a lot of site specific projects, something that could, I think work for my piece. He said he would forward my emails on to yourself.

I won't go on about Out of Sounds here, or myself, we could end up with War and Peace but I wondered if you had the email from John and if there was any chance of 5/10 mins of your time at some point. One can do a lot of research but 10 mins with someone who knows the scene can help an enormous amount.

You can answer me on the NTW website or email me on gcardy64@gmail.com.

Hi Simon, I've just joined the community and Writers group. Good to meet you. My name is Rob Keeley and I'm a dramatist, novelist and short story writer keen to write for theatre. I'm about to send a sample of work to the "ideas" e-mail address so more details there! I'm based in Merseyside but would be delighted to chat online any time! My profile on here and my website (www.robkeeley.co.uk) give more details on what I'm up to as a writer at the moment.